Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and affiliated health plans in 13 other states became the first insurers to reward providers that receive integrated-care certification from the Joint Commission.
The insurer said the certification would count toward its care-coordination measure under Anthem's Quality-In-Sights: Hospital Incentive Program, its performance-based reimbursement program for hospitals. The program aims to improve patient outcomes by offering financial incentives for hospitals that use evidence-based medicine and deploy best practices.
The decision affects about 800 hospitals and 38 million people, said Joyzelle Davis, an Anthem spokeswoman. To date, none of those hospitals have actually received the integrated-care certification, but “Anthem's willingness to recognize the ICC will hopefully encourage more hospitals to pursue the certification,” Davis said.
Only one hospital, Parrish Medical Center, in Titusville, Fla., has received the certification, although “several hospitals and ambulatory practices have expressed interest,” said Elizabeth Eaken Zhani, a Joint Commission spokeswoman.
